Camille Naredo

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office while FIFA President Gianni Infantino (R), and Vice President JD Vance (3rd L) look on August 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump announced the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw will take place at The Kennedy Center. Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images/AFP/File

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 22: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office while FIFA President Gianni Infantino (R), and Vice President JD Vance (3rd L) look on August 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump announced the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw will take place at The Kennedy Center.   Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by CHIP SOMODEVILLA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

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President Donald Trump Makes Announcement From The Oval Office

Agence France-Presse

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1770106438906AFP__20250822__2231524159__v1__MidRes__PresidentDonaldTrumpMakesAnnouncementFromTheO.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office while FIFA President Gianni Infantino (R), and Vice President JD Vance (3rd L) look on August 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump announced the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw will take place at The Kennedy Center. Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images/AFP/File" width="960"/>U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office while FIFA President Gianni Infantino (R), and Vice President JD Vance (3rd L) look on August 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump announced the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw will take place at The Kennedy Center. Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images/AFP/File</div>LONDON, United Kingdom -- FIFA chief Gianni Infantino defended his controversial decision to award a peace prize to United States president Donald Trump as he dismissed calls for a World Cup boycott.Infantino was widely criticized for giving Trump the honor on behalf of his governing body at the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington DC in December.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2025/12/6/trump-all-smiles-as-he-wins-fifa-s-new-peace-prize-0713">READ: Trump all smiles as he wins FIFA&#x27;s new peace prize</a></div>The move drew further scrutiny after US forces seized Venezuelan president Miguel Maduro, while Trump caused more controversy with his desire to acquire Greenland for national security reasons.However, Infantino insisted Trump was deserving of FIFA&#x27;s inaugural peace prize, telling Sky News on Monday: &quot;Objectively, he deserves it.&quot;Whatever we can do to help peace in the world, we should be doing it, and for this reason, for some time we were thinking we should do something to reward people who do something.&quot;Infantino rejected suggestions there might be a boycott of this year&#x27;s World Cup -- to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19 -- due to policies adopted at home and abroad by the Trump administration.There has been unrest in a number of US cities, most notably Minneapolis, over the Trump administration&#x27;s approach to immigration enforcement.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/1/31/thousands-rally-in-minneapolis-as-immigration-anger-boils-1845">READ: Thousands rally in Minneapolis as immigration anger boils</a></div>But FIFA president Infantino said there were never calls for businesses to boycott a country, &quot;so why football?&quot;The 55-year-old added: &quot;In our divided world, in our aggressive world, we need occasions where people can come, can meet around the passion (for football).&quot;Infantino also said FIFA and UEFA -- European football&#x27;s governing body -- would &quot;have to&quot; look at allowing Russia back into international action.Russia has been banned since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but the International Olympic Committee has now recommended sports federations allow Russian teams to compete at youth level.&quot;We have to (look at readmitting Russia). Definitely,&quot; Infantino said.&quot;This ban has not achieved anything, it has just created more frustration and hatred.&quot;Having girls and boys from Russia being able to play football games in other parts of Europe would help.&quot;

FIFA chief Gianni Infantino defended his controversial decision to award a peace prize to United States president Donald Trump as he dismissed calls for a World Cup boycott.

FIFA chief Gianni Infantino defended his controversial decision to award a peace prize to United States president Donald Trump as he dismissed calls for a World Cup boycott.

FIFA president Infantino defends giving peace prize to Trump

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FIFA president Infantino defends giving peace prize to Trump

Agence France-Presse

Published Feb 03, 2026 04:15 PM PHT

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